Great Lakes Today

About 40 people testified last week at a public hearing on a potential offshore wind farm in Lake Erie.

The majority of people who spoke at Cleveland City Hall presented favorable testimony to the Ohio Power Siting Board, which will take public comments into account before deciding whether to certify the project. The board's staff recently released a report endorsing the project; it included 34 recommendations for the developer.

Scientists predict a significant harmful algae bloom for western Lake Erie this year.

The forecast, a joint effort between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Heidelberg University and other partners, predicts a bloom severity of six on a 10-point scale. That would be better than last year, but worse than 2016.

The Cuyahoga River has come a long way from that infamous 1969 fire – and it’s getting better every day.

Along with three other rivers in Ohio, the Cuyahoga is on the U.S. EPA’s Area of Concern List, which includes places hurt by industry and development. The river has 10 problem areas or impairments – loss of fish habitat and fish population, among others.